Alishan

Chiayi · Alishan

Bortle 3 · Rural dark sky ｜ Elevation 2488m ｜ SQM ~21.4 ｜ Best view South

The Alishan National Forest Recreation Area at ~2,488 m — Taiwan's most famous sunrise-cloud-sea-stargazing trio. The 360° Ogasawara viewing deck lets you line up an evening cloud sea, a midnight Milky Way and a dawn sunrise in one visit.

Galactic core tonight

🌌 Tonight the Milky Way core climbs to a shootable altitude around 20:14, sinks back near 03:04, and peaks around 22:54 at roughly 37° in the South.

Access

Via Highway 18; park entry fee applies. The Ogasawara deck is a walk from Zhaoping Station — bring a headlamp for the night trail.

Facilities

Full park facilities: lodging, food, shops and toilets; light is fairly controlled but visitor numbers are high.

Best season

Mar–Oct Milky Way season; sunrise and cloud seas pair well year-round.

See the nearby city's stargazing calendar

Bortle class and SQM are estimates for well-known sites, used to compare darkness — not on-site measurements.